Everlasting Pain
by ChloeMellark
Summary: Gale goes into the 74th Hunger Games instead of Peeta. At the last minute Peeta confesses his love for Katniss. Please review! Prolonged HIATUS
1. The Reaping

**Okay, this is where Gale goes into the games and not Peeta - and don't worry i'm not gonna pick on peeta all the time :) i love him so dont worry:D  
****Disclaimer: i dont own the hunger games, or any of the characters  
****Review!!!!!! **

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My little sister, Prim, was NOT going into the Hunger Games. No Way. Not now, not ever.  
I volunteered and Effie Trinket looked quite abashed by it. Lots of wandering eyes followed me through the crowds and onto the stage. Haymitch Abernathy embarassed himself; and Effie went on to draw the boys' name out.

"And this year's boy tribute is," she went on, snatching at the pieces of paper in the huge glass ball, "Gale Hawthorne!" Then I heard Hazelle let out an ear - splitting shriek of terror, as her beloved Gale climbed onto the stage, her son, her provider of many years - was going into the arena. I stood there shaking as the mayor read out the Treaty of Treason. We were told to shake hands, but Gale pulled me into a tight embrace; it didn't last long, as we were issued into the Justice Building by four Peacekeepers.

My mother and Prim came in to say goodbye to me. It broke my heart seeing her here, in her skirt and blouse, her blonde hair pulled up.  
"Katniss,"she began, when a fresh set of tears rolled down her cheek "Promise me, promise you'll come home. Please Katniss" That set me off. I was falling to pieces inside - slowly, bit by bit, when she pulled me into a hug with my mother.  
"Goodbye, sweet little Katniss," she said to me,  
"Goodbye mother" I replied stiffly. They were ushered out of the room when the next person was called in. Peeta Mellark.

Peeta! The boy with the bread.  
" Hey, umm Peeta" I said, not knowing why he was here,  
"Katniss, I need to tell you something," he began, as I sat there patiently, "Something that I have been meaning to tell you since we were five years old."  
"Okay, Peeta; go ahead,"

"Katniss Everdeen, I love you. I have loved you since we started school and my father pointed you out to me in the playground eleven years ago. All the girls muttering, screaming, whispering and throwing themselves at me - they mean nothing! You are everything to me, I watched you for so many years, not saying anything; praying you would notice me. That's why I gave you the bread" I was stunned into silence. I realised something in those two minutes. I cared about him too. I crossed the room and enveloped him in a hug.  
" I care about you too," I began, "and i really believe you, I'll try make it home Peeta, then we can talk." I kissed his cheek and watched as he was led away from me. No sooner had he left, I was taken into a car by a Peacekeeper, where Haymitch, Effie and Gale were waiting for me.

We sped away from the town square and the Justice Building, to the train station, where we were bustled onto a large train, with the number 12 painted on the side in large white letters. I watched as the train chugged away from the station, eyes peeled as I gazed at my district. Thinking that I may not come back to it. All the while Gale was holding my hand...


	2. the journey

**Okay, heres chapter two. Thanks for reviewing (if you have) and thanks for reading my work :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games:)**

**Guys, if you dont mind could you please check out A Mockingjay's Life by Franalice--97 tarhh  
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We were on the train for what seemed like forever...

The train ride wasn't so bad in all. The food was out of this world; delicate little soups in tiny bowls, Roast chicken with all the trimmings. The most delicious food was a lamb soup, with small purple flowers floating in the bowl; that when eaten, filled your mouth with such a sweet sensation, that it was almost dreamlike.  
There were a few dampeners though. Gale was in such a foul mood, he refused to eat anything; despite being coaxed by Effie and me. And then there was Effie. Her accent went right through me anyway, but when she talked about last year's tributes being like "a bunch of savages" that really set me off. I deliberately ate as rudely as i could until Haymitch burst in on us.

"Okay kids, lets go watch the reapings!" clearly he was still drunk. Effie suddenly went into a frenzy. Ushering us out into a separate car where we were told to watch the other districts' reapings.

The reapings didn't terrorise me as much as i thought they would.  
The career tributes were particularly big this year, i thought to myself - but when their reaping came on, Gale didnt seem the least bit fazed. Glimmer was the girl; stunning, with blond hair and an angelic yet devilish face. The boy tribute was called Marvel, just the same as any male career tribute - rippling abs, very tall with a menacing face. The district two tributes were called Cato and Clove. The girl from district five looked alarmingly like a fox, Gale laughed when he saw her. I stared incredulously at him. The girl from 11 looked so alike Prim, I had to blink twice just to check it wasn't her! Rue, was her name. I'd remember that. She was only twelve.

Haymitch then exploded with vomit. All over the floor. All over the walls, and the TV. Gale swore and stormed out of the room. I guess it was up to me to clean up _our_ mentor. This made me angry; until he returned with some disinfectant and some paper towels.  
"You came back," I said quietly, he looked up and smiled at me.  
"Of course I did, Catnip, you really think that I would leave you to clean him up alone do you?" His grin stretched wider, "Wait, don't answer that!" Gale took Haymitch back to his room while i trudged along to my "chambers". What you would want with loads of rooms, I would never know.

I didn't sleep when i tried to, thoughts of Peeta, his words to me today. I love you, Katniss Everdeen. Something Gale couldn't, or wouldn't ever say to me. And then Prim, sweet little Prim, with her blonde hair and her tiny frame. Then mother. Greasy Sae, and all them at the Hob. Hazelle - Gale's mother. Everyone I had to get home to. I needed to. I went for a walk until i found the dining room, then i heard Haymitch talking to Effie...

"She seems to be a fighter!" said Haymitch,  
"Yes, but..." began Effie, "No buts Effie! We have to bring her home, a boy - back in 12 - made me promise!!!"

A boy. Peeta Mellark. He truly wanted me home...

I went back to bed feeling cherished and loved....

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"Katnisssss!!!!!" I woke up being shaken by Effie, "Katniss, It's half an hour till we get to the Capitol, you need to dress, just wear what you wore earlier sweetie!" and she clip clopped out of the room.

I pulled on the dress, and inspected my hair. Everything fine.

I closed the door and made sure the mockingjay pin was still fastened tight, I then started walking towards the "Sitting Room" where Effie, Haymitch and Gale were waiting for me.  
"Hey Gale," I muttered to him, "bet you cant wait to visit the city of our dreams," I said with a small wink.  
"Totally, Katniss, I just cant freakin wait!"

Haymitch shoots a look that clearly says, _cut it out, Effie's watchin', and i cant be doin' with the grief!  
_Gale and I just fell about laughing, and the train started slowing into the Capitol station. Wow. The station was literally worlds away from District 12's. Glowing neon lights, flashing every colour under the sun. A huge screen showing each of our faces, then zoomed in on our clasped hands, all the while I was thinking; _what would Peeta think about this_. I thought about him and nothing more until we were met outside by a huge, shiny big black car. This car was nothing like the bone shaker that took us to District 12's dismal shack of a train station. The car had tinted black windows, so no-one could see inside. There was blue LED lights and pink lemonade - as Effie told us - the lemonade was the finest thing I'd ever tasted. But Gale spat it out all over Effie's white skirt.


	3. The prep team

**Kay, sorry that my chapters have been a bit short; just trying to figure out the right sorta length :)  
Disclaimer: I do NOT (dammit) own the Hunger Games or any of the characters**

**Please let me know what you think of my last chapter, sorry it's taken so long to be published, I'm having a LOT of tests lately.**

**Review please :)**

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We arrived at a large building after the three hour ride. The building could only be the unmistakable training centre, the one we have seen on our rusty TV for years.

There were cameras everywhere. Recording our reaction to this vast building. Gale and I were met by five people, obviously Capitol citizens. I could tell this because, firstly; their accent was the same distorted droll as Effie's, and secondly; they looked absolutely freakish!

Two of them took Gale away, and then the other three whisked me away into a strange room.

"Where do we sit?" I asked, and they laughed at me like I was stupid, "It's an elevator, silly!"_ Oh yeah, I would know what one of these is because..._

The three people introduced themselves as Venia, Flavius and Octavia. They were annoying, but harmless, self centred Capitol people. What did I expect? Not a lot more.

I sat patiently as they polished and buffed my entire body.

First they put me in a bath full of disgusting smelling sludge coloured liquid.  
_This isn't what a bath is supposed to be like! _I thought. I had to sit in that for ten minutes.

I swear it was the longest ten minutes of my life.

They got me out and dried me, ran me another bath and poured a strange misty pink liquid in. I then discovered the purpose of having the two baths.

The first one was to exfoliate my body, unblock all the pores and generally make me clean; the second one was for making me "glisten, daahhhling" It smelt so sweet, and had small flakes of glitter that stuck to my body. When I got out and they saw me, they all but went into a frenzy.  
"Look at her!, so clean daahhling! Just like a little fairy" cried Venia, her aqua hair literally shining with anticipation.

Then came the waxing. I have **_never _**felt so much pain in my life!  
"It's all worth it sweetie," said Octavia, "No pain, no gain." And they continued tearing my body hair off me, humming and singing as they went along.

Once the waxing was done, they applied a cool blue gel to my skin, and all the burning sensations were whisked away by the tingling of the strange liquid. I looked down at myself and saw how beautiful my skin looked. It glistened and twinkled; just as the prep team said it would.

Venia went to work on my nails after I'd stopped admiring myself in the fluorescent light. He applied a clear liquid first, which i found was glue. Then he placed pieces of plastic - which were like small nails, but quite a bit longer than my own- on the glue and set them to dry. It took 30 seconds for the glue to dry, and then Venia busied himself once more. He painted my new "nails" midnight black, which took a little longer to dry than the glue, and even when it dried he applied yet more coats of the stuff. When he stopped applying the black, he applied an orangey brown, in small strokes. Then he applied a burnt umber colour, using the same technique. He applied different shades of orange, yellow, brown and red. When he finished i realised what he'd created on my fingernails. He'd created flames.

Once the prep team approved Venia's work, Flavius went to work on my hair. He washed it with a scented shampoo, and conditioned it with "Capitol's Finest" conditioner. After it had been washed, he blow dried my hair. Then he straightened it, and braided a small plait over my head.

When he finished, Octavia went straight to work on my make -up. First, she applied a Booteyyz SuperWear Long Lasting Foundation. Then, she applied a really dark blusher, i thought it wouldnt go with my skin tone at all, but i guess she's the professional. After applying the blusher to my cheekbones, she started on my eyes.  
"Lets get a look at those peepers, Katniss." she cried over enthusiastically "Open wide"

I did as I was told, and went along with her.  
"Ooh! What Lovely grey sweetie! Now close them so i can do your eyeshadow!"

I listened to her talking to herself, about what make and what shade she was putting on me.

First she applied gold eyegloss under my brows, to "highlight the right areas, sweetie". Then she put a black shimmer dust eyeshadow on my lids, and on top a red and orange colour.

She proclaimed me finished.

Venia, Flavius and Octavia left me, sitting in an uncomfortable white sack. I just sat there thinking...again. I wondered if Gale was being put through the same torture that I had just been put through. In the midst of my thoughts, a middle aged man, not as garish as the other three walked into the room.

"Hey, Katniss," he said, "I'm Cinna. I, along with Portia - your friend's stylist - are going to be dressing you for the next four days."  
"Umm, okay, so why are we here?" I asked him.  
" You have to go through an opening ceremony, with Gale, and I'm here to get you dressed and prepared with your costume, is that okay?"  
"Yeah, fine, no its great!" _I liked this guy! _

_C_inna pulled out a fairly big garment bag, the kind my mother uses to put her old, expensive dresses in back home. Ahh home. I have to stop thinking about it; Its **killing **me!

He pulled the outfit out of the garment bag, and with it came a lot of lose threads. Or not. Cinna caught me looking and matter - of - factly told me that it was electrical wire.

"Right then, could you just try this on for me? I'll make any minor adjustments. We need to be quick, your friend is waiting and it's only half an hour till the opening ceremonies."

I tried on the costume and it fit perfectly. Cinna told me that we would be riding in a chariot, and that before we set off, he would set fire to Gale's and my own costume. The miraculous thing was, the fire would not burn out skin!

We set off from my chambers, and went back in the elevator to the ground floor. Cinna led me round some long corridors until we were in a vast ring. Gale was waiting for me. He looked amazing.


	4. Gale

**Disclaimer: Still not Suzanne Collins, just gotta keep wishing on that star.**

**Thanks for your review, and Coraline Olivin this chapters especially for you.**

**I couldnt think of a better way to do it than to give a whole chapter up for Gale. So all you Gale lovers - this one's for you.**

**I've put this song in because i just think it fits perfectly. It's - That's what friends are for by Elton John -**

_Gale. _

_Gale Hawthorne._

_Gale; my best friend in the world._

"Gale, take a walk with me," I beckoned him,  
"Sure, Catnip," he poked me playfully in the ribs.

We walked far away from the hubub that was going down in the ring. We still had twenty minutes to go.

"Let me sing to you, Gale."

And I sang:

_And I never thought I'd feel this way  
And as far as I'm concerned  
I'm glad I got the chance to say  
That I do believe I love you_

_And if I should ever go away  
Well then close your eyes and try  
To feel the way we do today  
And then if you can remember_

_Keep smiling, keep shining  
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure  
That's what friends are for  
For good times and bad times  
I'll be on your side forever more  
That's what friends are for_

_Well you came in loving me  
And now there's so much more I see  
And so by the way I thank you_

_Oh and then for the times when we're apart  
Well then close your eyes and know  
The words are coming from my heart  
And then if you can remember_

_Keep smiling, keep shining  
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure  
That's what friends are for  
In good times and bad times  
I'll be on your side forever more  
That's what friends are for_

_Keep smiling, keep shining  
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure  
That's what friends are for  
For good times and bad times  
I'll be on your side forever more  
That's what friends are for_

_Keep smiling, keep shining  
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure  
That's what friends are for  
For good times and bad times  
I'll be on your side forever more  
That's what friends are for_

"Katniss, it's beautiful," he bent his head to kiss me, and i responded. It was just Gale and me, against the Capitol. He was my best friend, but i didnt know if i wanted any more. He walked away, and left me for the last ten minutes.

I went back to thinking.

_Gale, I love you. Gale your my best friend. _

_In two days were gonna be fighting to the death. I don't know what to do about this. I hope that if I die; you try with all your might to win. And if you die, i promise I'll do the same for you. One of us needs to win, Gale. Otherwise our families will starve. Hazelle, Vick, Posy and Rory; Gale they need you. My mother and Prim. They need me. I promise that if you die, and i win, I'll take care of them all._

I was done thinking now. I walked back to where Gale, Cinna and another woman; who I assumed was Portia, were standing.

Cinna and Portia fussed over us and helped us into the chariot. I grabbed Gales hand, but he shook it off and wound his arm round my waist.  
Haymitch bounded over to us, shouting something very loudly, but I couldnt hear what.  
"Make the crowd love you, You'll get sponsors," he told us. Then he went away.

"Gale, promise me one thing," i ordered.  
"Anything, Catnip, anything"  
"If I die in the arena, please, you have to win. For me and for our families. And I'll do the same for you."  
"I promise." And he kissed me again, before the cameras caught anything.

The anthem of Panem began to play.

The hunger games were really beginning now. In two days I'll be in a hovercraft headed for the arena.

Headed for my death.

**Okay, so whaddya think - hit the green button guys. revieww :D for me. **

**Remember this chapter is for Coraline Olivin.**


	5. Authors Note

**Authors Note:**

**Okay sorry about this, I'm gonna take some time off writing Everlasting Pain, and i'm gonna focus on some one shots and other stuff.**

**It's just to get my "creative juices flowing" most of my one shots will be hunger games or twilight related ;)**

**Sorry to disappoint you all, I PROMISE i will keep writing after i take my break.**

**Ilua and thanks for your reviews**

**OCD(obessive cullen disorder) OPD (obsessive peeta disorder)**

**xxx**


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